Superbug NDM could ‘change face of healthcare’ experts warn
Cases of a superbug that can break down antibiotics and could ‘change the face of healthcare as we know it’ have risen exponentially in the last five years, Government experts warn.
A study by Public Health England found that most bacteria carrying the NDM enzyme were resistent to the ‘last resort’ antibiotics

Only one drug, from the 1950s, remains effective against infections carrying New Delhi metallo, and it will soon become resistant to that as well, researchers said.
Government scientists revealed samples of NDM in the UK have increased from 6 in 2008 to 148 in 2013.
They warned the bug has the potential to change the face of healthcare as we know it, by making many routine operations and cancer treatments too dangerous and mean everyday infections
become life-threatening.
The bug was imported into the UK by patients having surgery and other medical treatments in India.
study by Public Health England found that most bacteria carrying the NDM enzyme wereresistent to the ‘last resort’ antibiotics called carbapenems and three quarters of samples were resistant to another group of powerful antibiotics.
One drug, colistin, did work against nine out of ten samples of NDM. However this drug, developed in the 1950s, will only work for a limited time as resistance will eventually develop against this too, it was warned.

Professor Anthony Kessel, Director of Public Health Strategy at PHE, said: “The results of this study are a stark reminder of the issue that we are facing with the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Having only one antibiotic available for treating patients with this resistance mechanism and limited effectiveness with a further three represents a great challenge for the future of healthcare as we know it.
“PHE has a comprehensive programme of work to tackle antibiotic resistance that contributes to the new cross-government national strategy. We are actively working with our stakeholders to address the issue of resistance head on as this is one of the most pressing ealthcare issues of our time.”

This paper is published online in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Professor Neil Woodford, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated
Infections Reference Unit at PHE, said: “Since it was the first recognised in 2008, the NDM resistance mechanism has spread around the world and into many different types of bacteria, which
remain susceptible to very few antibiotics.
“This shows both the enormous international challenge in tackling antibiotic resistance and the gravity of the situation for treating serious infections. “Some affected UK patients had travel-related risk factors, but cases in the community setting show the potential for these resistant bacteria to spread even further. “We are right to be worried, this organism is in the premiership of superbugs.”

Most bacteria with the NDM enzymes were Klebsiella, followed by E. coli. Most of us carry these bacteria harmlessly in our guts, but they can cause infections if they get into the bloodstream or urinary tract. There are a number of different resistance mechanisms and these make reatment much harder.